Aerosol dispensers and like pressurized packages



A. J. SAMUEL 2,924,360

AEROSOL DISPENSERS AND LIKE PRESSURIZED PACKAGES Feb. 9, 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY AEROSOL DISPENSERS AND LIKE PREssuRIzEDPACKAGES Filed D80- 23, 1957 A. J. SAMUEL Feb. 9, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2vuvvz/vmx jk77/UAJ6x-7Mucl,

ATTORNEY AEROSOL DISPENSERS A ND LI KE PRESSURIZED PACKAGES Arthur J.Samuel, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Gulf Re- ,search & DevelopmentCompany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application December23., 1957, Serial No. 704,800

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-394 This invention relates to improvements in aerosoldispensers and like pressurized packages of the general type wherein aneduction tube extends from a manually actuated discharge valve at oradjacent the top of the dispensing receptacle to a point near itsbottom. Such de vices have as a primary object to maintain the lower, orinlet, end of the eduction tube immersed in the liquid or powder to bedispensed in order that the propellent gas will'not escapeineifectively, for should this occur the resulting loss of pressurewould prevent complete evacuation of the contents.

It is not uncommon in such devices to provide an eduction tube which iscurved or angularly bent to reach into the angle between the side walland bottom of the dispensing receptacle, Since the bottom is usuallydished for greater resistance to internal pressure and the longer tubetherefore dips into the liquid at the lowest point at which it maycollect. The tube is usually curved in the direction in which thedischarge orifice of the finger pressed valve is pointed in order thatthe spray may be directed downwardly from a nearly empty receptacle,

but the desired Orientation is not always maintained and difficultiesensue. In present day manufacture of such dispensers the finger piece inwhich the discharge orifice is located is pressed onto the stem of thedischarger valve and in many instances it is rotatable on the valve stemor with it so that it may be twisted, with the result that the orificeis then directed one way and the eduction tube another. The sameundesired orientation is likely to occur if the finger pieceaccidentally comes off of the stem and is replaced. In either case, ifthe eduction tube curves upwardly when the receptacle is discharged in.

horizontal position only gas will be expelled, no matter how the fingerpiece is. turned. Thus, there is no assurance that pressure will beconserved even though the to the low point to which the eduction tubeextends, the

end of the tube will remain submerged until the receptacle issubstantially emptied. But the problem of conserving gas pressure as thelevel of contents is lowered is only partially solved by such aconstruction because economical use of the remaining contents is notobtainable if the dispenser is tilted in any other direction than theone in which the eduction tube extends. If it is tilted in a differentdirection, or is rotated in horizontal position to spray upwardly or toeither side, the end of the eduction tube becomes uncovered, as is alsothe case if the receptacle is inverted, and gas alone is then dischargedwith consequent rapid lowering of pressure. Yet for many purposes aconvenient, or even necessary, handling of the dispenser requires thatit be tilted and turned in all directions during use as, for example, inapplying hair dressing, perfume, bath powder and anti- 2 paints todifiicultly accessible merous other applications.

My Patent No. 2,793,794 discloses a dispenser which may be discharged ininverted, as well as upright, po'si places, as well as for nutionwithout wasteful loss of the propellant gas. As in prior dispensers,theeduction tube dips into the liquid when the receptacle is upright andthe pressure of gas on the surface of the liquid forces itupwardlythrough the tube when the discharge. valve is opened. However, if thereceptacleof prior type is inverted the'inlet at the end of the tube isexposed and gas alone will be discharged. This disadvantage has beenovercome in the aforesaid invention by providing a second inlet in theeduction passageway, near the top of the receptacle. A

slidable valve is guided along the eduction passageway to coverthisinlet which would otherwise be exposed to 7 permit escape of gaswhen the receptacle is upright.

pcrspirant to the person, or insecticides, lubricants and However, whenthe receptacle is inverted and the inlet is submerged, this valve shiftsby gravity to uncover the inlet and admit liquid to the passageway.Notwithstanding that the remote, open end of the tube is now exposed tothe gas phase, pressure is exerted equally outside and inside the tube,and since the liquid is a denser phase it will flow into the eductionpassageway through the submerged, second inlet where it has but a shortdistance to travel to thedischa-rge valve. Accordingly, gas does notuselessly escape when the partly filled dispenser is discharged ineither an inverted or an upright position.

A limiting factor, however, has been that in some intermediate, tiltedpositions, and more especially in positions approaching horizontal, thevalve controlling the second inlet cannot slide freely because ofinsufiicient inclination of the receptacle. i i

The present invention is an improvement which has for its object toachieve full utilization of the charge of propellent gas when thedispenser is held in any position, or in continuously varying positions,as dictated by the convenience of the user. Inattaining this object theconventional bent or curved tube is swiveled on a fixed portion oftheeduction passageway, such as the discharge valve body which extendsinto the receptacle, the tube being biased by Weightto turn bodily intopendulous position whenthe receptacle is sufliciently tilted. Thus, the

end" of the tube is gravitationally oriented downwardly and dips intothe liquid contents notwithstanding that turned and rotatedl while beingthe receptacle may be held horizontally. i

A preferred form of the invention employs an eduction tube which ismounted to have orbital movement about the body of the discharge valve,the tube being axially .otfset from the valve body by means of aconnecting member which has an internal flow passage between theselaterally separated sections of the eduction passageway. The connectingmember may be a disc which is eccentrically rotatable on the valvebody,or it may be a bar or other suitable shape having the greater part ofits mass lying toone side of its axis of rotation on the fixed part.Thus, the connecting member constitutes an unbalanced weight whichswings downwardly when the receptacle approaches horizontal position,carrying the" tube with it to dip into the liquid at what is then thelow point in the receptacle.

The connecting member alsohas limited sliding movement along theeduction passageway to cover a second inlet therein near thetop of thereceptacle, when the has been emptied "of its contents.

While the invention is illustrated and described inconnection'withvarious illustrative details, itwill be unde'r Patented Feb. 9, 1950stood that in its broader aspect it is not limited thereto but may bevariously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.Accordingly, in the drawings Figure l is a vertical sectional .view ofadispensing receptacle constructed in accordance with this invention, theeduction passageway comprising laterally spaced fixed androtatablesections between which there is a connecting member mounted forbothrotation and-sliding movement on the upper, or fixed section;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken along line 2-2 of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectionalview of the upper part of a dispensingreceptacle in which the connecting memberfor thesections of eductionpassageway is rotatably mounted on the discharge valve body andthe'upper. inlet of the eduction passageway is controlled by aslidablesleeve which is carried by and constitutes a part of the connectingmember;

Figure 4 is a modification of the arrangement shown in Figure'3, whereinthe upper end of the eduction tube is axially aligned with the flowpassage leading to the discharge valve;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a further modification, whereina cylindrical head which forms a part of the connecting member betweenthe eduction tube and discharge valve is confined for rotation andsliding movement within the body of the discharge valve or an extensionthereof;

Figure dis a vertical sectional view of another modification, whereinthe section of eduction passageway upon which the connecting member isslidably and rotatably mounted is itself suspended from the body-of thedischarge valve by a ball-and-socket joint, thereby permitting theassemblage to assume various angular inclinations as the receptacle istilted; and

Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, side views of the dispensingreceptacle in upright and inverted positions, these views being brokenaway to illustrate themanner in which the connecting member functions asa valve for control of the inlet adjacent the top of the receptacle.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, thedispensing receptacle 10has at its top a manually actuated discharge valve the precise design ofwhich does not constitute a part of this invention but which includes 'avalve body 11 extending longitudinally within 'the receptacle. In thevalve shown for illustration, the finger piece 12 whichis attached tovstem 13, when depressed againstthe tension of spring'l4, causes thegasket 15 to flex and uncover the port .16, and therebyaopens" thepassage for flow to the nozzle 17.

In the form of invention shown inFigure' 1, the tubular valve body 11 isclosed at its lower end 18 and immediately thereabove it is formed withan annular channel 19 into which a port 20 opens. A connecting member21, which may be a disc or other suitable shape, has'a drilled hole 22adjacent one edge for rotatably mounting it on the valve body, andaconnecting lateral'flowpassage 23 which leads to the channel'19 in thevalve'body when the member 21 rests on the annular shoulder 24. Aneduction tube 25 is carried by the connecting'member 21 and ispreferably curved'to'extend into" the angle between the bottom and sideof the receptacle, .as shown. The valve body 11'is of stepped'diameter-to::provide a second annular shoulder or abutrnent'26 forlimiting the travel of the connecting member when the'receptacle isinverted, in which position the connecting member will have moved pastthev port 20 to uncover it.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, a plug 27vis fitted into the'endof the valvebody andin :eflect constitutes an integralv partof the valvebody. The central fastening which permits one part to rotate on theother while preventing their separation. A branch 32 of the passage 30leads into a stud 33, which may extend parallel with the axis of thereceptacle 10, as shown, or at such an angle thereto that the studinclines downwardly when the receptacle is held in horizontal position.The stud terminates in an orifice 34 which, in the upright position ofthe receptacle, is covered by a slidable sleeve 35. If the branchpassage 32 were extended to the end of the stud, a cap with slottedskirtor side port could slidably seat on the end of the stud to perform thesame function. In either case another branch of the passage 30 leads tothe eduction tube 36. In this form of the invention, the connectingmember is confined by spring rings .37 and 38, or the like, for rotationon the plug 27 of the valve body.

Figure 4 shows a generally similar arrangement except that in this formthe plug 39 is provided with a central flow passage 40 which extendsentirely through it, and the eduction tube 41 is carried by theconnectingmember 42 which is rotatable on the plug.

Figure 5 shows a further modification, wherein the valve body 11terminates in an inturned flange 43 which confines a reciprocable androtatable cylindrical head 44 and stem which are attached eccentricallyto a connecting member 45 of a construction heretofore described. Theportion of valve body which is of stepped-down diameter is somewhatlonger than the head 44 and guides the same in thesliding movement whichunseats it from the flange 43 when the receptacle is inverted. Thus, ininverted position, liquid may enter the-eduction passageway around theflange 43 and through a longitudinalpassage 46 in the head 44. A crossorifice 47 also admits liquid when the head is displaced.

In Figure 6, the valve body 11 terminates as a socket 48 which receivesthe ball head 43 of a depending section 50 of the eduction passageway,such section having an enlargement 51 at its lower end to limit slidingmovement of the connecting member 52 thereon. The eccentrically mountedconnecting member and the eduction tube 53 carried thereby are rotatableon this section of passageway and open communication is maintainedbetween the flow passages in these parts through an annular channel 54and intersecting port 55. Manifestly, the annular channel in this andpreviously described embodiments of the invention may be located ineither the fixed or rotatable part. The valve body has been hereintermed a fixedpart in the sense that it is fixed to the body of thedispenser. It will be appreciated, however, that when the dispenser isrolled, the valve body rotates while the eduction tube remainsrelatively fixed in pendulous position.

In the various embodiments of my invention as herein described, when thereceptacle is upright, as shown in' Figure 7, the contents to bedispensed are forced by gas pressure into the lower, open end of theeduction tube and upwardly to the discharge valve. Whenthe receptacle ishorizontally held, the unbalanced weight of the eccentrically rotatableconnecting member causes it to hang downwardly and in so doing theeduction tube follows an orbital path close to the wall of thereceptacle. The end of the tube therefore continues to be immersed inthe liquid notwithstanding that the dispenser may be rolled by movementsof the wrist of the user. As the receptacle is further tilted to theinverted position shown in Figure 8, all remaining liquid rushes to itstop and the second inlet, adjacent the top of the receptacle, is thenimmersed and at thesame time is uncovered by movement of the gravityactuated valve. The liquid. accordingly enters the second inlet, closeto themanual valve, and flows to the discharge orifice. Premature lossof pressure due to a wasteful escape of gasis thereby avoided in thisand in all, intermediate inclinations .of

thedispenser, as Well as'in its upright position. I

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An aerosol dispenser or like pressurized package comprising areceptacle having a manually operated discharge valve at its top and aneduction passageway reaching into the angle between the side wall andbottom of the receptacle, said eduction passageway comprising an uppersection extending axially of the receptacle and a lower section movablebodily in an orbital path around said upper section, a connecting memberrotatably mounted on the upper section with the greater part of its massextending to one side of its axis of rotation and carrying said lowersection laterally spaced from said upper section, the laterally spacedsections being in fluid communication through an internal flow passagein the connecting member, a first inlet to the eduction passageway atthe end thereof adjacent the bottom of the receptacle and a second inletthereto adjacent the top of the receptacle, means constituting a part ofthe connecting member adapted to slide along a portion of said eductionpassageway and guided thereby to cover said second inlet when thereceptacle is upright and to uncover the same when the receptacle isinverted, whereby the contents to be dispensed will be admitted to theeduction passageway in both upright and inverted positions, and wherebyin intermediate, horizontal position the unbalanced weight of theconnecting member causestit to assume a pendulous position with the endof the eduction passageway dipping into the contents at low level in thehorizontally held receptacle.

2. In an aerosol dispenser or like pressurized package having a manuallyactuated discharge valve thereon, a tubular valve body attached to andextending into the dispenser, an eduction tube in fluid communicationwith said valve body and orbitally rotatable with respect thereto, amember connecting said valve body and eduction tube, said member havingan elf-center opening into which the valve body fits, the opening insaid member and said valve body having bearing surfaces in contact witheach other permitting relative rotation of the parts without substantialleakage and said member being formed with a flow passage between thevalve body and eduction tube, the bearing surface of one of saidrelatively rotatable parts being formed with an annular channel intowhich an orifice in the side of valve body opens, such channelmaintaining fluid communication between the parts in all positions whichthe connecting member assumes relative to the valve body, a stud.projecting upwardly from the connecting member spaced from its bearingon the valve body, the internal flow passage in said connecting membercontinuing through thestud and opening into the interior of thedispenser adjacent its upper end, a valve slidable along said stud andguided thereby to cover the opening in the internal flow passage whenthe dispenser is upright but to uncover the same when the dispenser isinverted, said eduction tube depending from the connecting member at adistance from the axis of rotation thereof, whereby the unbalancedweight of the connecting member causes the eduction tube to have orbitalmovement and to assume a pendulous posi tion when the dispenser ishorizontally held;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,682,356 Allen June 29, 1954 2,715,481 McGhie et a1. Aug. 16, 19552,792,974 Smith et a1. May 21, 1957 2,793,794 Samuel May 28, 1957

